search and seizure in public schools/law, william allan kritsonis, phd

8/8/2019 Search and Seizure in Public Schools/Law, William Allan Kritsonis, PhD

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Search and Seizure inSearch and Seizure in

Public SchoolsPublic Schools

William Allan Kritsonis, PhDWilliam Allan Kritsonis, PhD



Over viewOver view

Landmark CasesLandmark Cases General Cases involving studentsGeneral Cases involving students Strip SearchesStrip Searches

Mass or Random Drug TestingMass or Random Drug Testing Metal Detector SearchesMetal Detector Searches Random Locker SearchesRandom Locker Searches Field Trip SearchesField Trip Searches

Other searches conducted without individualizedOther searches conducted without individualizedsuspensionsuspension

Drug Test cases involving AdultsDrug Test cases involving Adults



Landmark CasesLandmark Cases

N ew Jersey v. T.L.O.N ew Jersey v. T.L.O., 469 U.S. 325 (1985), 469 U.S. 325 (1985)

Vernonia School District 47J v. ActonVernonia School District 47J v. Acton(1995)(1995)



General Cases Involving StudentsGeneral Cases Involving Students

Gru enke v. Seip, 225 F.3d 290 (3d Cir . 2000)Gru enke v. Seip, 225 F.3d 290 (3d Cir . 2000)

A member of a swim team who was asked by her coach to take a pr egnancy test, claimed violations of

state law and damages und er §1983. The 3rd Cir cui t Cour t of appeals over t urn ed a lower cour t d eci si on by ru lin g that the coachs r equ est did vi olate thest ud en ts 4th amend men t ri ghts and that he was n ot en t i tled to qu ali f i ed i mmuni ty r elat iv e to di sclosur e of st ud en ts per son al and medi cal r ecord s.



General Cases Continued«General Cases Continued«

B ridgman v . N ew Tri er H.S. District 203, 128B ridgman v . N ew Tri er H.S. District 203, 128F.3d 1146 (7 th Cir . 1997)F.3d 1146 (7 th Cir . 1997) A ma le high sch ool st ud ent exhi bit ed what a ppear ed A ma le high sch ool st ud ent exhi bit ed what a ppear ed t o be signs of dr ug us e (a lleg ed unr uly behavi or, t o be signs of dr ug us e (a lleg ed unr uly behavi or,

di lat ed pupi ls, bloodsh ot eyes, gigg ling) . As a r es ult, di lat ed pupi ls, bloodsh ot eyes, gigg ling) . As a r es ult, h e was s ubject ed t o a m edica l ass essm ent by th eh e was s ubject ed t o a m edica l ass essm ent by th esch ool s Hea lth Servic e Coordinat or and was s earch ed sch ool s Hea lth Servic e Coordinat or and was s earch ed by th e sch ool s St ud ent Assistanc e Pr ogram by th e sch ool s St ud ent Assistanc e Pr ogram Coordinat or wh o had initia lly n otic ed his behavi or . ACoordinat or wh o had initia lly n otic ed his behavi or . Afed era l circ uit c ourt maintain ed that th e s earch and fed era l circ uit c ourt maintain ed that th e s earch and th e ord ering of a m edica l ass essm ent wer e lega l and th e ord ering of a m edica l ass essm ent wer e lega l and that th e sch ool s policy r equiring writt en r eports a bout that th e sch ool s policy r equiring writt en r eports a bout st ud ent s earch es was c onstit uti ona l.st ud ent s earch es was c onstit uti ona l.



Strip SearchesStrip Searches

Jenkins v . Tallad ega Cit y B d . of E duc ., 115 Jenkins v . Tallad ega Cit y B d . of E duc ., 115F.3d 821 (11th Cir . 1997 ) F .3d 821 (11th Cir . 1997 ) T wo s econd grad e girls wer e stri p s earch ed T wo s econd grad e girls wer e stri p s earch ed

aft er being accus ed of taking a missing $7.aft er being accus ed of taking a missing $7.Th e court did not rul e on th e r easona bl en ess Th e court did not rul e on th e r easona bl en ess of th e s earch but did stat e that of th e s earch but did stat e that §§19831983da mag es would not be a ward ed becaus eda mag es would not be a ward ed becaus e

school officials would not n ec essaril y hav eschool officials would not n ec essaril y hav ekno wn that th e s earch was unr easona bl ekno wn that th e s earch was unr easona bl ebecaus e th er e was no pr ec ed ent in eith er becaus e th er e was no pr ec ed ent in eith er

Ala ba ma or in th e 11th Circuit . Ala ba ma or in th e 11th Circuit .



Strip Searches Continued..Strip Searches Continued..

C ornfi eld v . C onsolidat ed H igh School C ornfi eld v . C onsolidat ed H igh School District 230 , 991 F .2d 1316 (7 th C ir .District 230 , 991 F .2d 1316 (7 th C ir .

1993 ) .1993 ) . A mal e high school st ud ent was s us pect ed of A mal e high school st ud ent was s us pect ed of crotching dr ugs . He was ord er ed to r emov e crotching dr ugs . He was ord er ed to r emov eall his cloth es and school a uthoriti es vis ually all his cloth es and school a uthoriti es vis ually

ins pect ed his na ked body. No dr ugs wer eins pect ed his na ked body. No dr ugs wer efo und, but th e s earch was uph eld as fo und, but th e s earch was uph eld as r easona bl e.r easona bl e.



Mass or Random Drug TestingMass or Random Drug Testing

B d . of E ducation of I nd epend ent School B d . of E ducation of I nd epend ent School District No . 92 of Pottawatomi e C ount y v .District No . 92 of Pottawatomi e C ount y v .

E arls, B d ., 536 U.S. 822 (2002 ) .E arls,

B d ., 536 U.S. 822 (2002 ) .

Th e U.S. Supr em e C ourt rul ed that random Th e U.S. Supr em e C ourt rul ed that random dru g t estin g of stud ents involv ed in dru g t estin g of stud ents involv ed in extracurricular activiti es is l egal .extracurricular activiti es is l egal .



Mass or Random Drug TestingMass or Random Drug Testing

Continued«Continued« Vernonia School District 47J v . Acton, 515Vernonia School District 47J v . Acton, 515

U.S. 646 (1995 ) U .S. 646 (1995 ) A s ev enth gra de st udent was not per mitt ed A s ev enth gra de st udent was not per mitt ed

to partici pat e in int erscholastic athl etics to partici pat e in int erscholastic athl etics beca us e h e r efus ed to s ubmit to th e school s beca us e h e r efus ed to s ubmit to th e school s dr ug t estin g pro gra m. Th e Co urt r ul ed that dr ug t estin g pro gra m. Th e Co urt r ul ed that th e pro gra m was constit utional . Th er e wer eth e pro gra m was constit utional . Th er e wer e

dr ug pro bl ems in th e school an d st udent dr ug pro bl ems in th e school an d st udent athl et es hav e a r educ ed expectation o f athl et es hav e a r educ ed expectation o f privacy.privacy.



Metal Detector SearchesMetal Detector Searches

Continued«Continued« P eopl e v . Duk es P eopl e v . Duk es , 580 N.Y.S.2d 850 (N.Y., 580 N.Y.S.2d 850 (N.Y.

Cit y Crim. Ct. 1992)Cit y Crim. Ct. 1992)

A New Y o rk cou rt rul ed that a s t u dent s right s A New Y o rk cou rt rul ed that a s t u dent s right s were no t v iol ated when s he was su bjected t o were no t v iol ated when s he was su bjected t o a metal detect o r s earch withou t indiv idu al izeda metal detect o r s earch withou t indiv idu al izedsusp icio n. The metal detect o r s earch resul tedsusp icio n. The metal detect o r s earch resul ted

in a s earch o f the s t u dent s book bagin a s earch o f the s t u dent s book bagwhereupo n a k nife was f ou nd.whereupo n a k nife was f ou nd.



Random Locker SearchesRandom Locker Searches

C ommonw ealth v . C ass C ommonw ealth v . C ass , 709 A.2d 350 (Pa . 1998)., 709 A.2d 350 (Pa . 1998). Af t er o bs erv in g n um ero us o ccurren ces o f what Af t er o bs erv in g n um ero us o ccurren ces o f what a ppea red to be s us picio us st udent behav io r (frequent a ppea red to be s us picio us st udent behav io r (frequent phon e calls , us e o f beepers , an d ca rryin g la rge s ums o f phon e calls , us e o f beepers , an d ca rryin g la rge s ums o f mon ey), a dm in ist rato rs at H a rbo rcreek High School in mon ey), a dm in ist rato rs at H a rbo rcreek High School in Erie C o unty, request ed th e stat e pol ice to con duct Erie C o unty, request ed th e stat e pol ice to con duct can in e sn iffin g o f st udent lo ckers . Drugs w ere f o un d in can in e sn iffin g o f st udent lo ckers . Drugs w ere f o un d in only on e o f th e 2,000 lo ckers s ea rch ed. Drugonly on e o f th e 2,000 lo ckers s ea rch ed. Drugpa ra ph ernal ia an d a small amo unt o f ma rijuana was pa ra ph ernal ia an d a small amo unt o f ma rijuana was s eized. Th e st udent was call ed to th e prin cipal s o ffices eized. Th e st udent was call ed to th e prin cipal s o ffice

an d rea d h is rights . Ov ert urn in g a stat e s uperio r co urt an d rea d h is rights . Ov ert urn in g a stat e s uperio r co urt decis ion , Pa . s Suprem e C o urt ma inta in ed that th is decis ion , Pa . s Suprem e C o urt ma inta in ed that th is s ea rch was reasona bl e un der th e federal const it ut ion s ea rch was reasona bl e un der th e federal const it ut ion an d Art icl e 1,an d Art icl e 1, §§8 o f th e Pa . C onst it ut ion . Th e co urt 8 o f th e Pa . C onst it ut ion . Th e co urt po int ed o ut th e dan ger o f drugs an d st udents l im it edpo int ed o ut th e dan ger o f drugs an d st udents l im it edpriva cy in s chools as a bas is f o r its decis ion .priva cy in s chools as a bas is f o r its decis ion .



Field Trip SearchesField Trip Searches

W ebb v . Mc C ullough W ebb v . Mc C ullough , 828 F.2d 1151 (6t h C ir., 828 F.2d 1151 (6t h C ir.1987). On a trip t o Hawaii o f 140 st u dents, a1987). On a trip t o Hawaii o f 140 st u dents, aprinc ipal s search o f st u dent roo ms f o r alcohol princ ipal s search o f st u dent roo ms f o r alcohol

and wit hou t indiv idu al ized su spic io n wasand wit hou t indiv idu al ized su spic io n wasu nreaso nabl eu nreaso nabl e

K u eh n v . Rent o n S chool Dist. No . 403K u eh n v . Rent o n S chool Dist. No . 403, 694, 694P.2d 1078 (W ash . 1985). Mass search es o f P.2d 1078 (W ash . 1985). Mass search es o f st u dents lugg ag e prio r t o a fiel d trip werest u dents lugg ag e prio r t o a fiel d trip wereu nreaso nabl e bec au se t h ey l ac kedu nreaso nabl e bec au se t h ey l ac kedindiv idu al ized su spic io n.indiv idu al ized su spic io n.



ReferencesReferences

WestlawWestlaw

Darwin, Darden C. (2006) Search andDarwin, Darden C. (2006) Search andseziure, due process, and public schools.seziure, due process, and public schools.The Center for Public Education. RetrivedThe Center for Public Education. Retrivedon April 15, 2008. fromon April 15, 2008. fromhttp://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/shttp://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/s

ite/c.kjJXJ5MPIwE/b.1537263/k.CB45/Searite/c.kjJXJ5MPIwE/b.1537263/k.CB45/Search_and_seizure_due_process_and_public_ch_and_seizure_due_process_and_public_schools.htmschools.htm

search and seizure in public schools/law, william allan kritsonis, phd

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